'24' is a Show Full of Surreal Life Lessons

Morning Call ^ | 4/9/06 | Renee A. James

[Dr. Scarpetta]

If you watch Kiefer Sutherland and "24," you learn to handle 60 minutes of tension, heartbreak and deception each week. And that's just between the characters of the president and the first lady.

But although fans love it, even the most ardent learn to overlook a lot regarding plot devices and characters.

Example: Jack Bauer, toughest guy on the planet and lead terrorist hunter, who can withstand torture, gunshots, drugs and severe mental anguish, found a pretty cool job for his annoying daughter, Kim.

After her stint as a runaway and a troubled teen in season one, she became an agent at the Counter Terrorism Unit (CTU).

Kim, whose previous claim to heroic fame was escaping a wildcat while lost in the mountains of southern California, was now among the elite specialists who would save the lives of everyday Americans should the very worst take place. God help us.

[Dr. Scarpetta]

That was an amazing summary!

[Dr. Scarpetta]

Things are definitely NOT what they seem.

[Tribune7]

I don't think Barry is a wimpy as he looks. He was once a Wolverine fighting to save our nation from Soviet domination.

[Tribune7]

Thank you.

Deep down inside I like Kim.

I'd probably even date her.

Maybe.

[COEXERJ145]

I don't think Barry is a wimpy as he looks. He was once a Wolverine fighting to save our nation from Soviet domination.

LMAO!

He also has been fighting to defeat the South in the American Civil War.

[COEXERJ145]

I wouldn't have minded her dying if it had been in the line of duty as Reiko said she wanted. (Heck, everyone dies on 24. It is just a matter of time.) Instead they just wasted Michelle and Tony. Killing them served no real purpose other than to dispose of the characters since the writers said "we've run out of story lines for them."

Originally the end of Season 4 was going to be different. Tony was going to get blown up with Mandy in the car bomb. Michelle was then going to go out to her car and swallow one of the suicide pills like the ones used in Season 3. That all changed when 24 was picked up for two more seasons. TPTB decided to kill them both in episode 5.1 but Carlos Bernard thought it would be good for Tony to survive for a while and then die in Jack's arms after being stabbed by Henderson.

But at least in 5.1 we got to see Michelle in normal clothes looking very hot.

[Dr. Scarpetta]

I thought Barry looked familiar!

[ABG(anybody but Gore)]

The one thing that always bugged me about Tony: what was that ridiculous little scrape of beard under his lip? It always drove me nuts. But I ignored it because of Michelle. Who wouldn't want to liplock that babe? ;^)

[Oztrich Boy]

The White House was moved to Los Angeles too. I've seen every show and don't ever recall a moment when the President was in Washington.

And terrorists would never attack on a day the President is out of Washington.

[COEXERJ145]

I saw an interview were Carlos explained why he had it. He grew it for some bit part or something and forgot to shave it off. He filmed the first episode (I don't remember which season)with it and therefore had to keep it all season.

And yes, I'd kiss Reiko in a heartbeat.

A lot of people think she is gorgeous. I've done more signatures with Reiko than any other 24 actor.

I'll be back in half an hour or so. I'm going to take short walk. Sitting at the computer for the past 7 hours writing a paper has fried my brain.

[ABG(anybody but Gore)]

I'd list the "Must See TV Shows" like this:
5. NCIS- CSI with a dose of humor.
4. House- CSI in a hospital, and with a generous bit of humor, with a touch of Sherlock Holmes.
3. Monk- funniest show on TV, and very Sherlock Holmes.
2. Battlestar Galactica- if it weren't for 24, this would be the best, most intense show around.
1. 24.

[Dr. Scarpetta]

Monk- funniest show on TV, and very Sherlock Holmes.

Sometimes I miss Monk on Friday nights. Do they ever replay it another day?

[COEXERJ145]

Speaking of House, I was watching it the other night on USA (waiting for Law & Order SVU to come on since Reiko was a guest star) and Sarah Clarke (Nina Myers on 24) was the patient House was treating.

[Dr. Scarpetta]

[ABG(anybody but Gore)]

I'd like to say they replay it on Sunday nights, but I'm not sure. I'd imbibed a few too many the night I caught the rerun.

[ABG(anybody but Gore)]

I caught that one the other night! Nina might have been a traitor, but I can see why Jack had a thing for her. She's a hottie.

As for Law & Order, I just started watching it a few months ago, but Criminal Intent is the best. Vincent Dinofrio going into the box with a perp is just satisfying for some reason. He reminds me of Andre Braugher from Homicide(2nd best show of the 90s). Frank Pembleton always broke a perp. So does this guy.

As for SVU, I'm kinda split. I like all the characters except Mariska Hargitay. There's just something about her that annoys me.

[DJ MacWoW]

I found the the Rolling Stone article online. And they spelled his name incorrectly. *snerk*

Keifer Sutherland: Heart of Darkness

[COEXERJ145]

Actually I don't like Law & Order that much. I usually only watch it when I'm home sick and there isn't anything else on. I was only waiting to watch SVU since Reiko was on it (for all of two minutes). She will be on it more though in episodes airing the 20th and 21st on USA.

[COEXERJ145]

"I had the 24 cast over for dinner one night and I heard that Reiko Aylesworth, who played Michelle, said, 'It's so nice that he cleaned up his place.' Someone else said, 'He didn't clean it up for you, honey. It's always this clean.' And her response was, 'Ewwww.'"

LOL!

[ABG(anybody but Gore)]

I think you'd enjoy L&O: Criminal Intent. The original jumped the shark years ago, and like I said, there's something about SVU and Hargitay that I can't quite pin down. But CI is good.